School Information

Dear Reed Students and Families,

Welcome to our new and returning students and families! I am very excited to be the assistant principal of Reed Intermediate School. I have lived and worked in Newtown for almost 30 years. Most of those years have been spent as a 5th and 6th grade teacher right here at RIS. For the last four years, I have served as the lead teacher at Hawley School. Outside of school, I am a mother of two grown children. My husband and I have a little dog named Cocoa. We love walking, going to music and comedy shows, and cooking together.

I love the 5th and 6th grade years. They represent a pivotal time in child development. Students at this age are transitioning from early childhood to early adolescence. Reed is a special place made just for children experiencing these significant changes. For that reason, our focus is on growth--both academic and social. Throughout the year, each day begins with a Community Meeting that engages students in conversations about empathy, perseverance, motivation, respect and much more. Those skills are also woven into the routines and curriculum for seamless and continuous practice. Part of the process always includes making and fixing mistakes. The important thing to remember is that Reed’s students, families and staff work together to scaffold this learning. The emphasis is on competence, belonging, and growth. 

I am truly grateful for the opportunity to work with all of you during this very special time of life. Please reach out if you have any questions.

All the best,

Carla Tischio

Assistant Principal

The mission of the Newtown Public Schools, a partnership of students, families, educators and community, is to INSPIRE EACH STUDENT TO EXCEL in attaining and applying the knowledge, skills and attributes that lead to personal success while becoming a contributing member of a dynamic global community. We accomplish this by creating an unparalleled learning environment characterized by:

•  High Expectations
• Quality Instruction
• Continuous Improvement
• Civic Responsibility

Reed Intermediate School is a CARING COMMUNITY

Every individual at Reed Intermediate School is an important member of the school community. Our beliefs and practices utilize strategies from both Responsive Classroom and Restorative Practices to support social and emotional learning. Together, these practices allow our staff to work with students and support all levels of social and emotional learning, while fostering positive relationship building, trust, and meaningful connections. Classroom lessons integrate real-world experiences and scenarios to enhance our student’s understanding of problem-solving, showing empathy toward others, and sharing kindness, whenever possible. At Reed, we believe “it is always possible”.

At Reed, our students learn about two important phrases you will hear about often: 

ReedPride Full Values and #ReedPride. At Reed, we follow a ‘Full Value Contract’, which is our process by which students and staff set behavioral expectations for the entire school community, adhere to the group goals, and regularly review and reflect on their progress. Our ‘Full Value Contract’ is an active contract for all areas of the school environment including our classrooms, hallways, the cafetorium, playgrounds, and buses. We utilize the core components of our ReedPride Full Values as monthly or bi-monthly school goals. Each day over Morning Announcements, Dr. Correia discusses our monthly goal and shares helpful strategies, tips, and anecdotes for teachers to further expand upon during daily Community Meetings.

ReedPride Full Value Topics Include:

• Be Here
• Be Safe
• Be Honest
• Set Goals
• Let Go & Move On
• Care For Self and Others
• Choose Kind

When students are following the rules, successfully practicing and modeling our ReedPride Full Value topics, and being kind to others, we let them know they are showing their #ReedPride! At Reed, we highlight student successes, praise hard work and perseverance, and teach students about the importance of having grit. When these actions are observed, we tell our students that we are proud of them… and of course, that they are showing their #ReedPride!

#ReedPride

#ReedPrideFullValues